


sacred new beginnings (that became my religion)

by hopelessrdj



Series: i'm yours to keep and yours to lose [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Moving In Together, oh my god they were roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23790676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessrdj/pseuds/hopelessrdj
Summary: When Rhodey moves out Tony knows the apartment will feel lonely and cold. Rhodey just hopes he uses the opportunity and finally asks Stephen to move in with him
Relationships: Christine Palmer/Pepper Potts, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: i'm yours to keep and yours to lose [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708741
Comments: 2
Kudos: 67





	sacred new beginnings (that became my religion)

**Author's Note:**

> my birthday present from me to you. honestly i think this is my favourtie part of this universe so far

When Tony asked him to movie in with him the question was nonchalant, almost uncaring. If he didn’t know him any better he would have thought he asked not because he wanted him there, but because he wanted anyone there, to fill in the space Rhodey has created after moving out to the military campus.

Stephen would have felt hurt if it wasn’t for the anxiety visible in those warm brown eyes, Tony was playing with his fingers, a stress habit he found out about a few weeks ago, his palms obviously sweaty, his gaze avoiding Stephen’s as if it could make him burn.

He wanted to tease and joke around at first but he knew now was not the time to do that. In a week maybe, when he’s all settled in and feeling at home, he’ll bring this back up and they’ll both laugh about it.

But for now he just takes Tony’s shaking hands in his and says “Only if you want me there” he answers giving him a way out just in case

“Of course I want you there” he says not looking up yet, but then he smirks “I’m tired of having to drive through half of the city for a booty call” he adds, clearly proud of himself, which earls him a slap on the arm

“You know what forget it I’m not moving an inch” he said and tried to move away but Tony put his arm around his neck and kissed him before he had a chance

Next thing he knows they’re in his room, boxes lying everywhere slowly filling in with all his belongings and somehow he never realised how many things he owns.

Tony packs the pictures from his shelves and he tells him about Beverly and Donna, about how he never sees his brother or father but doesn’t regret it, about how Tones would definitely love his little sister because she has that special talent of making everyone she meets immediately adore her.

In return he heard about Maria and her Italian lessons, about how he never had a sibling even though he wanted to, but at the same time he’s glad because no one else had to put up with his father. He says how his mom lives in Florence now and they should visit her one day.

They’re packing his clothes now and if he sees Tony putting on his hoodie he doesn’t mention it. He just smiles to himself and calls it a small win for his fashion style.

Neither of them expected it to last this long but they’re finished now, hours later and the apartment is empty and they need to drive back and forth so many times to move all his things but neither of them cares.

It’s almost midnight now and the streets are empty and the music in the car is quiet but audible and Stephen thinks about it as a blank page, a new chapter of their lives and this relationship. They didn’t really think this through and there are so many blanks to fill in along the way but somehow he feels at peace. He’d like to believe if someone can make it through its them.

And when Tony laces their fingers together and squeezes while keeping the other hand on the staring wheel he knows the decision was good. And looking at his profile lit up only by the dim streetlamp glow and he finds himself hoping he never loses him, that this never ends.

Because Tony has been the best thing that happened to him in his life. And after this year (how is it possible that it’s been a year already?) every place he goes remind him of them. He finds himself mystified by how this entire city screams his name and he thinks that if Tony ever got tired of him and walked away he’d never be able to walk a single street in Boston again without being overwhelmed by memories of them laughing and kissing on the sidewalk, picking each other up from uni or walking around with their best friends.

And when they put the last few boxes in Rhodey’s room, his room it’s a quarter past midnight but neither of them feels like sleeping yet, the emotions keeping them awake. They sat on the balcony, warm drinks in their hands, enjoying the chilly night air

“I think we can just unpack the essentials and declutter your room tomorrow don’t you think?” he said looking at Stephen

“Oh I didn’t think we were actually going to use both rooms” he said suddenly feeling like an idiot but he just thought that after spending the night multiple times it was only natural progression of events. That was what he was expecting when Tony asked him to move in.

“Well we won’t but I thought it would be useful to clean it anyway so you could have a quiet place to study for finals without my constant presence you know?” Tony said and looked at him surprised as if it was obvious “You thought I would be wasting free body heat opportunity, Strange I thought you were smarter than this” he said which earned him a groan.

Unpacking all the things took them longer than they thought it would. They kept stumbling over boxes for the next week or so, Stephen more than once borrowing Tony’s shirts because he couldn’t find his own, Tony never giving back the hoodie he stole that day while packing.

They found a steady rhythm of Stephen waking just a little bit earlier so they won’t have to fight over the bathroom and preparing coffee for Tony, once he was out. He quickly got used to sleepy “Morning, babe” that the engineer would greet him with while taking the offered mug.

His things seemed to fit perfectly in place as well. Soon half of the closet was covered in his clothes and his and Tony’s skin care turned into “our” skin care, the bathroom shelf no longer divided into two separate spaces.

The idea of creating a study space turned out to be brilliant as well. It allowed Stephen to stress out over his exams in peace while Tony could still keep an eye on him and make sure he ate and got enough sleep. A few weeks later they changed Tony’s bed into king side one that could fit them both perfectly even though they kept sleeping cuddled anyway.

Before they knew autumn came and Stephen was feeling at home, he had all the cracks in the floor memorised and could navigate the place even in the middle of the night and when Christine and Pepper came around to visit they smiled when they said his presence was obvious now.

It was no longer Tony’s place with him as a roommate. It was their place. Their home. All the blanks they were so unsure of at the beginning filled in.

Stephen wasn’t in love yet. Or so he liked to tell himself. But it definitely looked like it when they danced barefoot in the kitchen in a refrigerator light. When the sacred new beginnings turned into a constant part of his life. And in that moment he felt like he like what they had could be infinite.

**Author's Note:**

> come meet me on twitter @hopelessrdj


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